Georgia repudiates Georgians of Gali district of Abkhazia

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“Virtually there is no Georgian population in Abkhazia now,” said Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Baramidze, while speaking at the Budapest conference Energy as a Factor of Stability and Security on October 28. According to a REGNUM correspondent Baramidze's speech was generally focused on the post-war Georgia and prospects for the development of the situation.

It should be noted that citizens of the Georgian nationality make up the majority in the Gali district of Abkhazia. According to official Abkhaz authorities' figures, after the war of 1992-1993 up to 55 thousand refugees have returned. According to a census of 2003, 220 thousand people live in the republic. There are more than 80 thousand Abkhazians and about 60 thousand Georgians. In the past two days the situation in the Gali region has escalated. President of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh explained sabotage and terrorist acts causing victims in the area with Georgian desire to deprive of the Gali district from Abkhazia. The Abkhaz side has strengthened security measures at this section of the Georgian-Abkhaz border in this connection.

It is worth mentioning, on October 27, the 3rd Energy Forum under the patronage of Hungarian President László Sólyom has launched in Budapest, Hungary. The Forum will focus on an analysis of the conditions for the the success of a European energy policy. The Forum will discuss the following topics: energy as a factor of stability and security in Europe, the European Neighborhood Policy and energy policy. Forum will last until October 29.